Method and device for imaging of a printing form

Abstract

A method for imaging a printing form, in which a laser ( 140 ) generates a sequence of pulses ( 172, 220 ) of electromagnetic radiation corresponding to the image information of an image area ( 200, 202, 204, 206 ) to be generated on the printing form ( 118 ), and the image area ( 200, 202, 204, 206 ) to be generated on the printing form ( 118 ) is patterned according to the image information by interaction with the electromagnetic radiation, has the feature that the sequence of pulses ( 172, 220 ) of electromagnetic radiation is amplified by an amplifier ( 160 ); the amplifier ( 160 ) being discharged in a controlled manner by additional pulses ( 176, 222 ) corresponding to a non-image area ( 132, 208, 210, 212 ) of the printing form ( 118 ) in such a way that interference pulses of the amplifier ( 160 ) are prevented.

1. A method for imaging a printing form comprising:
 using a laser to generate a sequence of pulses of electromagnetic radiation corresponding to image information of an image area to be generated on a printing form, the image area to be generated on the printing form being patterned according to the image information by interaction with the electromagnetic radiation; and 
 amplifying the sequence of pulses of electromagnetic radiation by an amplifier; and 
 discharging the amplifier in a controlled manner by additional pulses corresponding to a non-image area of the printing form in such a way that interference pulses of the amplifier are prevented. 
 
   
   
     2. The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein the non-image area of the printing form is assigned to a non-printing area of the printing form or to an area outside the printing form. 
   
   
     3. The method as recited in  claim 2  wherein the non-printing area is an edge area or an intermediate area of the printing form. 
   
   
     4. The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein for imaging, the printing form is curved into a surface in a shape of a cylindrical segment, and the non-image area of the printing form is assigned to a complementary cylindrical-segment shaped surface. 
   
   
     5. The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein the non-image area of the printing form is assigned to a cylinder gap of a printing plate cylinder. 
   
   
     6. A method for imaging a printing form comprising:
 providing image information of an image area to be generated on the printing form for activating an imaging device in the image area; and 
 providing additional information for activating the imaging device in a non-image area of the printing form. 
 
   
   
     7. The method as recited in  claim 6  wherein the additional information is integrated into the image information. 
   
   
     8. A device for imaging a printing form comprising:
 a laser generating a sequence of pulses of electromagnetic radiation corresponding to the image information of an image area to be generated on the printing form, the image area to be generated on the printing form being patterned according to the image information by interaction with the electromagnetic radiation; 
 an amplifier amplifying the sequence of pulses of electromagnetic radiation; 
 the laser generating additional pulses corresponding to a non-image area of the printing form, the additional pulses discharging the amplifier in a controlled manner such that interference pulses of the amplifier are prevented. 
 
   
   
     9. The device as recited in  claim 8  wherein the laser is a diode laser and the amplifier is a fiber amplifier, the interference pulses of the amplifier representing self-q-switched pulses. 
   
   
     10. A printing-material processing machine comprising the device as recited in  claim 8 . 
   
   
     11. The printed material processing machine as recited in  claim 10  wherein the machine is a sheet-fed offset printing press. 
   
   
     12. A platesetter comprising the device as recited in  claim 8 .